


Fighting Spirit

by snowwinter486



Category: Eyeshield 21
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-25
Updated: 2013-08-25
Packaged: 2017-12-24 15:36:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/941639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowwinter486/pseuds/snowwinter486
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>RichterScale!Challenge. After a devastating Earthquake, Kobayakawa Sena moves to America at a young age and learns of American Football. He returns to Japan to do nothing but play the sport he loves. But Earthquakes have after effects and this time, the Deimon Devilbats are infected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“I’m here to join the American Football club.”

“Really?!” Kurita jumped up to his feet. This was amazing!

For the first time since they had ever created the Deimon Devilbats, there was someone who wanted to join! This was the best thing that could happen to them!

“Yeah, I’m Kobayakawa Sena, year one, class 2,” he said, his voice sounding a little different from a regular Japanese person. “I want to be your running back. My number is 21, and I’ll be needing an eyeshield because I have vision problems.”

“Are you an Eyeshield 21?!” Kurita gasped. How could a hotshot like that join a school as small as Deimon? And then to join their tiny team?

“Ah, sort of. I’m nothing amazing or anything,” the brunette said shyly, his hand going to scratch the back of his head. “I just want to play football again.”

His voice progressively got softer, but the look in his eyes never wavered.

Kurita grinned brightly, just happy that there was someone who seemed to love the sport just as much as he did.

Him and Hiruma. (And of course Musashi.)

And now, just like before, there would be another person and they would be three.

“Of course, I will be officially trying out, but when I picked up this flyer,” and he lifted up the flyer, albeit a little moist and very wrinkled one, but it was definitely one of theirs, “it didn’t have a set date, time or place for the try-outs...”

“Oh well, we don’t really get people to try-out!” Kurita explained, almost brightly, as he began to become a little more sheepish, “But I’m sure we can organized something.”

He looked to Hiruma for help. Hiruma would help them! Of course he would! He’s probably just as happy as he is!

He didn’t look very happy though.

“...Come back after school so we can see what you can do,” Hiruma said at last, surprising him.

The brunette smiled at them and nodded politely, and Kurita was so happy that they were going to get a new friend and teammate! 

This was so exciting!

“Thank you very much!” Sena-kun bowed once to them, moving to leave (Kurita didn’t really want him to, but he supposed that everyone should get to their classes someday). “Ano, and I was told a warning, and I think that I should tell you guys too, but there’s this really dangerous person,” he said, voice soft and brown eyes warm and Kurita looked at him, curious. “His name is Hiruma Youichi.”

Kurita saw the grin in Hiruma’s face as the door closed behind Sena with a short farewell.

Kurita knew that this was going to be a good year. He could feel it.

-

Juumonji Kazuki narrowed his eyes at the shrimp in front of him.

He looked, if anything, cold, going as far as having a scarf and... was that a black turtleneck underneath the uniform? Jeez, it was a little chilly for springtime but...

“I’m Juumonji Kazuki,” he said.

“I’m Toganou Shozo,” Toganou added, pushing his glasses up.

“I’m KUROKI Koji!” Kuroki added, yelling for extra emphasis.

And instead of the usual cowering in fear (because they were known) the brunette looked up at him and blinked. Then, he gave a soft smile and said, “I’m Sena Kobayakawa,” he said.

“So, Kobayakawa,” Juumonji said, a smirk crawling on his face as he leaned forward, ready to order this kid around.

But instead, the kid looked at him, with bright, nearly sparkly eyes (okay, maybe he should stop watching anime with Toganou) and instead said, “Are you guys going to go try out for the American Football team?” he asked.

Juumonji noticed the accent, and vaguely wondered where Sena had come from then. 

“Huh?”

“Huuuh?”

“HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUH?!”

“Ah, sorry. I keep forgetting that not all people are into football. B-But you shouldn’t worry because it can be done by anyone!” He said, “So, it doesn’t matter if you think your second-rate or anything because we’re a team,” he blurted out. 

The three stared at him, dubious, confused, and in Juumonji’s case, angry.

“What the hell would you know, huh?!” he demanded, standing up and kicking a desk over. 

Several girls fled and the accent student in front of him flinched a little, but he looked at the much taller, much larger male.

“Isn’t it obvious? Isn’t that what people think?” the brunette stated, blinked up at him, “You don’t want to be a second-rate player, but sometimes, you need a team to get you there. I... I think you guys will benefit immensely from the American Football club,” he thrust a flyer into their hands. “Please consider it!”

He ran out of the class and Juumonji stared at the flyer.

“Oi, Toganou, Juumonji looks like he really wants to join,” Kuroki said.

“Who wants to join what?” Juumonji snaps back.

Toganou sighed, “I guess we should join in to then, huh?” he asked.

“I don’t want to join the AMERICAN FOOTBALL CLUB!”

“Kekeke... did someone say American Football? Oh? You’re Juumonji Kazuki kekeke...”

Along came a demon with a handy black notebook and needless to say, Kuroki, Toganou, and Juumonji joined the team by the next day.

-

“So, what’s your time?”

Sena looked at Hiruma, and then at Kurita.

“...Time...?” he parroted.

“Un! Your 40 yard dash time!” Kurita said, motioning to the field and the marker for the 40 yards.

Something clicked and Sena smiled, “It’s the average of 4.2.”

“...Average? What the fuck is wrong with your Japanese?” Hiruma demanded when he spoke nearly broken and incomprehensibly. 

Kurita looked less bothered, more confused.

“I haven’t spoken real Japanese in a long time,” he admitted sheepishly, “It’s... harder than I remembered.”

Hiruma rolled his eyes, he can fix that later. Looks like he’ll be a quieter player on the field.

“Whatever. What do you mean by average?”

Sena’s lips curled into a smile, a playful, slightly confused smile, “It just means that. I can go slower, and I can go faster, it’s just that I’m usually at 4.2 speed.”

Hiruma frowned and instead said, “This better not be a fucking bluff. Go your fastest.”

Sena nodded and walked towards the field, Hiruma close behind with his stopwatch.

“Okay.”

“By any chance, were you Eyeshield 21?” Kurita asked, a kind smile and Sena gave an embarrassed smile.

“Yeah, it was a nickname. I never really thought that it would stick.”

“Kekeke... I’ll make sure to play with that,” Hiruma cackled by himself and Sena gave a soft sigh.

“I don’t really care as long as I get to play.”

“Oh look? The three brothers are here first?” Hiruma all but cackled.

“Huh?”

“Huuh?”

“HUUUUUUH?!”

Sena watched as Kurita jumped up and down for joy, bringing the three poor victims-er, teammates, into a hug while water rained from eyes. 

The brunette gave a smile, tugging his sleeves further down.

Japan was colder than he thought.

-

“Wait, you’re Hiruma Youichi?” Sena blinked at Hiruma in surprise.

The other three, the ones that were dubbed as ‘the fucking brothers’ in Hiruma’s book, had left earlier, since practice wore them down earlier than he had expected. 

(And Hiruma wasn’t going to let anyone know about him being Eyeshield 21 just yet.)

Sena wasn’t very tired, but Hiruma and Kurita said a small practice so...

The male gave a smirk and the brunette blinked.

“Well then,” he scratched the back of his head, and gave a soft smile at the blond. “I’m Sena Kobayakawa, so I’ll be in your care, Youichi.”

The blonde blinked at him and grinned, “Whatever you say, fucking shrimp.”

“So, we’re supposed to share phone numbers, right?” Sena brought his phone out to share, and Kurita cried tears of joy, swinging the embarrassed Sena around.

The trio shared contact information.

“So, when’s our first game?” Sena asked.

“It’s the day after tomorrow,” Hiruma said easily.

“Eh?” Sena blinked, while Kurita panicked, “Don’t we need more players?”

“Kekeke... Go recruit at least three more players or else there will be a PENALTY GAME!” Hiruma laughed.

Sena smiled brightly, “I love games!”

Kurita noticed the brief moment of shock on Hiruma’s face before he covered it up and smiled a little larger.

“Just go recruit people, fucking speedy.”

The brunette blinked and then gave a soft smile, “Then excuse me.”

“Ano, do you think we should mention to Sena-kun that athletes usually refer to each other by their last name?”

Hiruma snorted, “No way. This can be a lot more fucking fun.”

“Hiruma...”

-

“Kazuki, Koji, Shozo.”

“Huh?”

“Huuuuh?”

“HUUUUUUUH?!”

Who dared to use their first names? No one was close enough to them to do anything though.

“Good work this morning,” he said, nodding to them. “I... I hope you guys guys can stay with us.” He looked wistful, his eyes gazing back at his feet and then his hand moved to scratch the back of his head sheepishly, “B-but it’s not like you have to, but I think you guys will really fall in love.”

“...You’re the weirdest person I have ever met,” Kuroki blurted out.

Sena seemed to flinch a little, “Is that bad?”

“It’s refreshing,” Toganou called from his manga.

“...So, if you think we’ll like it so much,” Juumonji looked up at him from his seat and motioned to the seat in front of him, “Show us how to play.”

Sena looked at them, and couldn’t help it when he grinned.

It was supposed to be a joke on Sena. They didn't care, but the male had gotten so into it that he got yelled at when homeroom started.

"You really like this game," Kuroki commented when the four began to eat together. 

Sena stopped talking about the defense formation and looked mortified.

"I love this game," he whispered out, "What's not to love?"

"Uhm... You're not strong?" Toganou asked.

"That doesn't matter,” Sena quickly waved that off, “I'm a runningback. All I need to do is run."

"You only do one thing, huh? Is Amefuto a specialization sport?" Juumonji asked, leaning forward.

"In a sense," Sena nodded. "But it's a team effort. If I didn't have any blockers or linemen, I wouldn't get anywhere."

"Linemen...Huh..." 

Juumonji noticed how usually, Kuroki doesn't ever look that interested in something unless it's a new side-quest in one of his older games.

Juumonji also noticed how Toganou never really leans that close near something unless it was the newest Shounen Jump in the store.

Juumonji caught himself by surprise that he was actually listening to this.

(Jeez. He took this kid completely seriously. Just because he asked if they didn't want to be second-rate. He wasn’t second-rate. None of them were.)

"Yep!" Sena looked at them, and nodded, "We need them." He said this with a fondness. 

Juumonji, Kuroki, and Toganou stared at Sena in surprise and then to each other. 

(How long has it been since someone said that they were needed to do something? It wasn't direct but it was really close.)

"I really hope you join," Sena said, and then walked back to his seat for afternoon classes.

“Damnit.”


	2. Chapter 2

“I’m so happy that we won! This is the first time we ever won so overwhelmingly!” Kurita cheered.

Hiruma’s ears heard the faint whisper when Sena said, “It’s cold.”

Eyes snapped to the smaller figure. Walking towards him after a touchdown. Alone.

For some reason, this truly bothered Hiruma.

Deimon cheered because they had won against the Koigahame Cupids, 54-3. It was pretty funny. Especially when Sena-er Eyeshield 21 was the one that continuously scored without a problem.

“...Hiruma, I’ll make a promise to you,” Eyeshield 21 turned to the blond devil and Juumonji couldn’t shake the feeling that he knew this guy...

“What do you want, fucking chibi?”

“I’ll make a touchdown, from now on, in the first thirty seconds in every game that I play.”

“Ho? That’s a lot of responsibility,” Hiruma smirked.

Eyeshield didn’t even flinch, and instead looked at the blond, “The first thirty seconds when we’re in offense of course. I don’t always win blitz attacks and interceptions.”

“Kekeke... Naturally.”

-

“Thanks for playing today,” Sena, later dressed as a student from Deimon, complete with his regular undershirt and extra vest said as he approached the infamous trio.

“Huh?”

“Huuh?”

“Huuuuuh?”

The words were spoken, less with malice and more with surprise and well, confusion.

“I’m sorry that it wasn’t a very fun game but you play great!”

Juumonji blinked at the male, “Don’t you mean ‘played well’?”

“Eh?”

“Yeah, you don’t say you played ‘great’ but ‘well’,” Toganou added, “I read manga and I know that.”

A bright blush crossed Sena’s face.

“You’re not from Japan, are you, Manager,” Kuroki said as he titled his head in somewhat confusion.

“I’m Japanese,” Sena pouted, “I just lived in southern America for a long time.”

“Huh?”

“Huuuh?”

“HUUUUUUH?!”

“So that’s why he’s always wearing extra layers...” Toganou muttered.

“But anyways,” Sena quickly waved off the yelling of confusion, “Please return to the next match!”

“Well, I don’t-” Toganou looked at Kuroki before they were cut off with Juumonji’’s outburst.

“We’ll do it,” he said.

“What?”

Toganou and Kuroki shared a look between each other and then shrugged, “Well, I don’t really have anything else to do,” Kuroki said.

“My manga isn’t going to be updated so I don’t have to catch up on anything...” Toganou trailed.

Sena gave a grin and as though just remembering too, bowed, “I look forward to playing with you then!”

And he rushed off.

“He’s going to play?” Kuroki asked, remembering the murderous intent from the game.

“He probably meant that he was going to look forward to watching us play and doesn’t know anything about speaking,” Toganou said, easily shaking it off.

Juumonji stared after the male, “...Perhaps.”

-

Hiruma didn’t know how to feel about this.

About a week into school and there were about six members of the American Football team, and all were willing.

Kurita was fucking ecstatic, especially when three of them turned out to join the line part of football.

But Hiruma narrowed his eyes at Kobayakawa Sena AKA Eyeshield 21. 

Things were going too far in their favor, he wasn’t like Kid and being all pessimistic about it, but...

This was un-fucking-believable.

“So, how did you do it, fucking speedy?”

Eyeshield looked at the blond and shrugged, “It just sort of happened. I used to be the same as them.”

Hiruma tried to imagine the brunette as a gangster, and it didn’t look pretty.

“...In the end, we just want to make a name for ourselves.”

Hiruma stared at the male and then the green-eyeshield reflected the sun and he cocked his gun.

“Just start running.”

-

Usually, Hiruma was the one surprising, not getting the surprise done to. But then came along this tiny brunette.

True to his word, Eyeshield did so. He got his touchdown, baffling opponents, spectators and teammates alike and Hiruma didn’t really know what to expect from the Greatest Runningback of this Era.

No one really did. Until that run.

Then, Hiruma could see them toppling the best of the best over. Hiruma saw (almost very clearly) winning the Christmas Bowl. Hiruma could just see it now and that’s what bothered him the most. 

What would happen if Eyeshield 21 was to leave their team? He said he joined for the thrill of a game, and that all he ever really wants is to play the game.

“I never thought that football could be so...” Eyeshield 21 had said to Hiruma and then looked back onto the field, “Dull.”

Hiruma raised an eyebrow at him.

“...Maybe, had I joined another team, I could have played against you. And that would have been fun.”

“...You really think that?” Hiruma asked, the slightest bit of dread crossing through him.

Eyeshield turned back to face him and shrugged. “Not really. I don’t think it would have made a real difference. So, when is this amazing Shin Seijuro getting on for me to challenge?”

“Well, he should be getting on soon, kekeke...”

It bothered him slightly that the brunette wasn’t bothered, like at all, when he did that laugh. The kid, he had to admit, was either so stupid that he didn’t really know how to react or he was just impassive about everything.

Hiruma wagered the first one.

“Kekekeke... Alright, let’s make this fun for you too then....”

Because that’s the least he could do if he wanted to keep this guy.

-

By the time Shin Seijurou walked onto the field, Eyeshield could feel the shift in the mood of the field. 

“Go intimidate him,” Hiruma said, pushing the male forward.

Eyeshield and Shin stood face-to-chest and then, Eyeshield said one thing that could have probably changed the entire course of the game.

“Don’t disappoint me.”

Shin frowned.

The next time Eyeshield had the ball, he surpassed Shin with the ease that no one thought was possible and had already scored a touchdown.

In the twenty seconds Shin and Eyeshield faced off, Eyeshield had scored a touchdown and everyone was left, mouths open and some on their feet.

“...TOUCHDOWN!”

There was silence before the Deimon Devilbats ran up to him, yelling and cheering and Eyeshield turned to stare at Hiruma.

“...Please tell me that wasn’t Shin.”

“You defeated the strongest linebacker with ease!”

“Dude! Eyeshield! You’re AMAZING!”

Eyeshield 21 turned to look at the ground.

“It was nothing.”

“Ah! He’s so modest too!” 

Slaps were given to him and Eyeshield lurched slightly forward.

“No, he really is nothing.” He turned to move, and whispered out, “Let’s do our try-for-point. It’s getting cold.”

Hiruma raised his eyebrow at this. He was noticing a trend in the temperature for Sena, and he wasn’t liking it at all.

-

“Good job, Eyeshield!” Kuroki’s bright grin came along and Eyeshield turned to look at him.

Juumonji watched as the smaller male (because jeez, he was tiny) seemed to shrug and instead said, “You guys are the ones that should be complemented.”

He had an accent too, if Juumonji really strained to hear it. He couldn’t exactly place on where he heard it though...

“Oi! Fucking huh-huh brothers! Fucking Speedy! Get to your posts!”

“We’re NOT BROTHERS!” the familiar reply was yelled back and Eyeshield 21 moved to his position.

“Just hurry the fuck up!” Hiruma snapped.

Afterwards, Hiruma approached Sena, and noticed how Shin was in perfect hearing range.

“So, how was Shin?”

“...Oh, Number 40?” Sene asked.

“Yep, that’s the one,” Hiruma could feel himself swelling up in glee.

“Boring. Slow. If he’s the best, then I can see why Japan’s so low on the American Football ratings.”

Hiruma winced at that, but he noticed that he wasn’t the only one who heard. And by that, he means that Shin wasn’t the only one who heard.

And Hiruma Youichi had the pleasure of watching the Oujou White Knights crack against the time and the pressure of a true runner.

A pro runner.

“YA-HA!” he called out, “That’s Eyeshield 21! He’s already been scouted for the University of Notre Dame!”

Then, Eyeshield turned to Hiruma and asked, in some form of surprise, “How did you know?”

Hiruma laughed a little harder, “Alright, fucking shrimp.”

-

Kongo Agon stared at the player in front of him.

Player, because even though he didn’t really want to admit it, this guy was good. Of course, he could defeat him easy, but that speed.

That’s not a normal thing. That’s pro-level.

“...Agon, I don’t think that Hiruma is bluffing when he said he found someone scouted by the University of Notre Dame,” Unsui commented next to him.

Agon leaned forward, as though he would understand better if he went closer to the action.

“No way. There is no way a kid that was scouted for Notre Dame would be here. He would have gone to, at worse Oujou, at best Teikoku. Not that Trashy-team.”

Unsui watched as another touchdown was scored due to an interception.

“A trashy receiver with a tight defense,” Agon whispered out and Unsui turned to him in shock.

“...Do you think he’s a threat?”

And all of a sudden, Agon’s entire demeanor changed.

“...Not against me.”

Unsui couldn’t help but stare at his brother because Agon didn’t answer with his usual haughty way-with no hesitation.

Agon hesitated.

It made Unsui worry just a little bit more.

“DEIMON DEVILBATS ARE CURRENTLY IN THE LEAD AT 30-14!”

Fangirls of Sakuraba Haruto wailed louder and louder but among true football fans came the startling silence of horror when they watched Eyeshield 21 pick the ball up, faultless with years of experience and skillful with all the energy of a pro.

Unsui felt hope disappear and he was certain that this year, things will be different.

-

Hiruma watched as Kurita cheered extensively with the rest of the team over Eyeshield 21.

He stared at the male, before moving to sit next to him at half-time.

“How are you holding up?” he asked.

He glared the other players away from him so he could rest up. He needed to know how much of this running ate up at him. There was just no way he could have perfect stamina; he didn’t care if he was from America or not.

“It’s cold,” he said instead.

Hiruma frowned, he had a hypothesis about this, and he wasn’t really liking it.

“I really hate the cold,” Sena murmured back. “I thought this game was going to be warm, because you said that guy was playing. But it’s cold.”

And his hypothesis was confirmed.

“You... do you call boring games cold?”

“No, just the ones that have no thrill.”

Hiruma stared onto the field, and despite the fact that they were winning, he couldn’t find the thrill either. Not when the thought of losing their one hope was falling fast.

Then, a hand came to grip his and his eyes snapped over at Eyeshield.

His hand moved to his shoulder and squeezed. Hiruma barely felt anything, with the lack of strength in the grip and the tiny hand on his much larger shoulder and then, he saw   
the faintest of smiles on his face.

He could see eyes, wide and gentle staring into his and then he said it. He said the words that Hiruma never really thought he would ever hear from a teammate.

“Then give me the thrill, Youichi. If anyone, you can do that.”

Then, he stood up, with one last sip of water, and moved to the field to set up for the next defense play.

And Hiruma found his fighting spirit once more.

“Isn’t this great, Hiruma-kun?” Kurita said next to him.

“What is, fucking Fatass?” Hiruma continued to move towards the field, where the rest of their tattered team slowly made their way there.

“We have real teammates now! We rely on them as much as they rely on us!”

“...Fucking fatass,” Hiruma grinned, “This is where it really starts!”

-

Hope sprained his ankle ramming himself and then crashing into Sakuraba and to the Oujou bench.

Sena cursed in his mind as he tried to stand, failing miserably, until it was one of the Oujou players that helped him up.

“Thank you,” he whispered out, in English by mistake, and realizing his problem, tried to say it in Japenese.

Then the sounds of a gun and Hiruma had him on Kurita’s bench while the referee called a time-out.

Sakuraba fans screamed and wailed but there was newfound hope for Oujou to win.

And win they did.

Oujou White Knights had won 42-30, but despite it all, Hiruma was smirking.

Because it didn’t feel like much of a loss. In fact, there was a lot more to it. He knew that Eyeshield was only going to get better from here.

Hell, Eyeshield didn’t even go his full potential. 

And everyone (because many, many teams came to watch Oujou and most likely Shin) saw Deimon Devilbat’s newest fighter.

Another legend was on their team, and he was to stay.


End file.
